# Element vs Nextcloud

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Element | Nextcloud |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 86/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #1 of 27 in File Sharing & Collaboration |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 37 328 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 | +433 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 22 ✓ |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | v33.0.10 · 15 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

Nextcloud scores 86/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.

Nextcloud ships more often: 22 stable releases in the past year, against 18 for Element.

Nextcloud is growing faster right now (+433 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Element](https://selfhost.directory/project/element) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/element.md)
- [Nextcloud](https://selfhost.directory/project/nextcloud) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nextcloud.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/element-vs-nextcloud